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Winemaker Notes

Critical Acclaim

There's a nice charcoal note driving this from the start, while the dark plum, blackberry and black currant fruit waits in reserve. Ganache, licorice snap and tobacco fill in the finish and give this added range, while a singed alder wood note runs underneath for added texture and length. Impressive. Best from 2015 through 2030.

RP92

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The wine offers up notes of jammy black cherries, black currants, licorice, camphor, underbrush and some subtle vanillin. The wine is full-bodied, voluptuously textured and rich, with good acidity, surprising freshness and laser-like definition given its ampleness and length. It can be drunk early on for its beautiful fruit, but look for this wine to hit its stride in 5-7 years and last for two decades.

Chateau Bellefont Belcier

The BELLEFONT-BELCIER estate is very old and its history can be traced back to the 17th century. Towards the end of the 18th century Count Louis François de Belcier actually founded the vineyard, ideally situated on the southern slope of Saint-Émilion, between PAVIE and LARCIS-DUCASSE. Then in 1803, on this magnificent site, he built the château which he named "BELLEFONT", or "Belle Fontaine" (Beautiful Fountain), because of the numerous springs nearby, rising from the chalky-clay slope.in 1889, the château passed into the hands of the FAURE family. Pierre FAURE, a brilliant agricultural engineer and author of many drainage works and other agricultural improvements, had the famous circular vat built, intact since its identification and today one of the jewels of this property. It was at this time that the vineyard became one of the guiding lights of the Bordeaux region, receiving many awards (the unique Gold Medal awarded by the Ministry for Agriculture to the Bordeaux wines, at the General Agriculture Competition, Paris, 1892).

Since 1994, the vineyard and its outhouses have been considerably renovated with a view to raising the property to the status of the Great Classified Vintages of Saint-Émilion.

St. Emilion

Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.

St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.

Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.

The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Figeac, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vienyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.

Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.

Bordeaux Blends

One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World, especially in California, Washington, and Australia. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and/or Petit Verdot, these are sometimes referred to in the US as “Meritage” blends. In Bordeaux itself, Cabernet Sauvignon dominates in wines from the Left Bank of the Gironde river, while the Right Bank focuses on Merlot. Often, blends from outside the region are classified as being inspired by one or the other.

In the Glass

Cabernet-based, Left-Bank-styled wines are typically more tannic and structured, while Merlot-based wines modeled after the Right Bank are softer and suppler. Cabernet Franc can add herbal notes, while Malbec and Petit Verdot contribute color and structure. Wines from Bordeaux can be bold and fruit-forward or restrained and earthy, while New World facsimiles tend to emulate the former style. In general, Bordeaux red blends can have aromas and flavors of black currant, cedar, plum, graphite, and violet, with more red fruit flavors when Merlot makes up a high proportion of the blend.

Perfect Pairings

Since Bordeaux red blends are often quite structured and tannic, they pair best with hearty, flavorful, and fatty meat dishes. Any type of steak makes for a classic pairing. Equally welcome with these wines would be beef brisket, pot roast, braised lamb, or smoked duck.

Sommelier Secret

While the region of Bordeaux is limited to a select few approved grape varieties, the New World is free to experiment. Bordeaux blends in California may include Syrah, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, or virtually any other grape deemed worthy by the winemaker. In Australia, Shiraz is a common component.